Know Your Motivation
One of the best ways to begin writing your first novel is to know why you want to write a story. What is your ultimate goal in this writing endeavour? Do you want to feel accomplished writing a book from beginning to end? Do you want to change people’s lives with a personal story that has so much meaning to you?
A firm grasp on why you want to write will pay off in the future because your motivation will spur the type of content you write about, how you express yourself and the kind of audience you want to reach. Many resources can give you the motivational push you need to kickstart your novel if you are a budding author or even a seasoned author looking for motivation.
A firm grasp on why you want to write will pay off in the future because your motivation will spur the type of content you write about, how you express yourself and the kind of audience you want to reach. Many resources can give you the motivational push you need to kickstart your novel if you are a budding author or even a seasoned author looking for motivation.
Find your Genre
Once you know why you want to write, it is essential to follow your curiosity. When you go to a bookstore or a magazine rack, what kind of stories draw your attention? Whether you are interested in fantasy, science fiction, self-help, romance, or anything in between, pick it up! Knowing your preferences is a huge step in determining how you may frame your novel.
Educating yourself on fellow authors in your category of interest is also a good idea, especially the more profound novels. That way, you get the lay of the land and a better understanding of what your audience may like. When picking a genre, you might oscillate between a few, or you may have no clue – and that’s okay! There are so many things to explore! As you read and compare your ideas to the books around you, you will eventually find where your novel fits into the ecosystem.
How many sentences did I write today compared to a month ago? How many corrections are in a paragraph? How many sections am I able to churn out in an hour? Keeping track of your writing statistics like this will show you how much you can produce through numerical measurements! Of course, there is also the qualitative part to your writing progress. This includes reviewing your old writings from last year, last month, or even last week.
Are you noticing any changes in your writing style, your syntax, or your inclusion or exclusion of specific details that are important to the storyline? You could return to a piece of writing that you felt was particularly weak, whether short or long. Think about how you might rewrite it, and then do it! As you begin writing your first novel, don’t forget to keep track of both quantitative and qualitative aspects of your writing – it’s the best way to measure growth and stay on track!
Educating yourself on fellow authors in your category of interest is also a good idea, especially the more profound novels. That way, you get the lay of the land and a better understanding of what your audience may like. When picking a genre, you might oscillate between a few, or you may have no clue – and that’s okay! There are so many things to explore! As you read and compare your ideas to the books around you, you will eventually find where your novel fits into the ecosystem.
Keep Track of Your Progress
Whether you have a natural talent for writing or want to improve your skills throughout the challenge of writing your first novel, a solid key to being a good writer and completing that first project is to write every day and to keep track of your progress. You don’t have to register for hours on end or produce a magnificent product every day; you just have to make writing a daily habit. Keeping track of your progress, quantitatively and qualitatively, is one way to hold yourself accountable for everyday writing. The quantitative part includes asking yourself how much you are writing over time.How many sentences did I write today compared to a month ago? How many corrections are in a paragraph? How many sections am I able to churn out in an hour? Keeping track of your writing statistics like this will show you how much you can produce through numerical measurements! Of course, there is also the qualitative part to your writing progress. This includes reviewing your old writings from last year, last month, or even last week.
Are you noticing any changes in your writing style, your syntax, or your inclusion or exclusion of specific details that are important to the storyline? You could return to a piece of writing that you felt was particularly weak, whether short or long. Think about how you might rewrite it, and then do it! As you begin writing your first novel, don’t forget to keep track of both quantitative and qualitative aspects of your writing – it’s the best way to measure growth and stay on track!
